Drought expands and worsens across the ArkLaTex

Updated drought conditions released Thursday morning show no improvement across the ArkLaTex over the last week. With little rain falling, drought conditions have expanded and worsened. Moderate drought is now showing up across much of the area along and north of I-20.

The continued dry conditions are causing more outdoor burning bans to be issued across the area. In Arkansas Columbia County now joins Hempstead and Howard counties with bans. Caddo, Webster and Desoto parishes in Louisiana continue with burn bans as do Cass and Marion counties in Texas.

A cold front moving through the area on Sunday will bring a few showers, but rain is not expected to bring any relief with less than one-quarter of an inch expected where we see it.

The prospects for substantial rain are still well off in the distance with Sunday bringing our only chance for rain in the next seven days.